WhatsApp is the primary mode of communication for the majority of Hong Kong’s population, particularly businesses. Many third-party WhatsApp Business API providers offer extended functions to meet the needs of businesses. Meta recently launched WhatsApp Cloud API, which allows users to access all of WhatsApp Business API’s features without having to pay for “Hosting” the API.
Now, how can businesses determine which program is best for them?
The Official WhatsApp Cloud API
Meta announced the availability of the WhatsApp Cloud API to all enterprises on May 19, 2022. This enables enterprises to customize and develop various business functions directly on WhatsApp to meet their specific industry requirements.
This means that businesses and developers can build on top of WhatsApp. Furthermore, they can use WhatsApp’s official cloud hosting to send and receive messages instead of building their own servers or relying on third-party business APIs. This also represents greater formality and security, resulting in a pleasant customer experience.
Further reading: WhatsApp Cloud API: What’s in it for businesses?
Third-party WhatsApp Business API
The WhatsApp Business API is a third-party application program interface for enterprises. The most significant advantage is that it can arbitrarily expand various functions such as auto-replies, one-click broadcast, and so on. It also entails integrating with a number of third-party systems, such as Shopify.
Users can already customize WhatsApp plans to use the aforementioned various functions following the launch of the WhatsApp Cloud API.
Further reading: Meta Opens WhatsApp Cloud API for Free!
Comparison Between Official WhatsApp Cloud API and Third-party WhatsApp Business API
Since WhatsApp’s official Business API has limited functions, only a few companies use it in the past. It is also far less convenient than third-party APIs. According to Meta’s announcement in May 2022, however, all businesses can now access WhatsApp Cloud API for free.
Features | Third-party APIs | Official Cloud API |
Services Provided |
|
|
Data Storage | Data is stored on various servers. | The data is saved in Meta’s official cloud. |
Server maintenance cost | The installation and maintenance of the server incur costs. | There is no cost to install or maintain the server. |
Usage charge | Pay per message sent or per conversation | Charged with “Conversation-based pricing” |
Number of logins | Single tenant (single phone number per deployment) | Multiple mobile numbers can be registered in Cloud API. |
Opening time | Open for a few weeks | Open in a few minutes |
How can an enterprise choose a suitable WhatsApp Business API?
If you are unsure what type of WhatsApp Business API is best for your company, consider the four questions below.
- Do you need to handle a large volume of WhatsApp customer inquiries everyday?
- Are you looking to automate your business operations 24/7, even after hours, with WhatsApp chatbots answering customer inquiries on your behalf?
- Do you have limited manpower to handle customer inquiries?
- Do you only get business from one or two channels, such as Facebook and Google ads?
If you believe your company requires the WhatsApp Cloud API service, you may wish to begin a free consultation with VIMOS experts. VIMOS not only assists users in applying for WhatsApp Business API. It also provides an easy-to-use application programming interface that supports both desktop and mobile versions. Businesses can easily benefit from WhatsApp Business API’s stable and efficient extension functions without any programming or software development skills.
With VIMOS, you can grant your customers a personalized experience while also expanding your online and offline business opportunities! Book a 15-minute demo with us to receive additional discounts as well as a free 7-day trial.
Key features of the VIMOS platform include,
- WhatsApp Chat Bot which handles after-sales service 24/7 and reduces customer waiting time
- CRM Efficiency: Visitors can leave the relevant information in automatic messages to increase response effectiveness.
- Support mobile and desktop versions, assign customer response tags and remarket to customers with personalized messages.
- There is no need to worry about your account being blocked since this is an officially recognized API.
Why is WhatsApp marketing more and more important?
As e-commerce becomes more popular, an increasing number of customers are starting to shop online. Similarly, online customer service has become an important factor in retaining consumers. Businesses are evermore using WhatsApp and Messenger to handle online inquiries.
Chatbots with automated responses have the potential to improve customer service processing efficiency while lowering operating costs. Previously, customer service departments were required to be available 24/7; however, they now solely rely on WhatsApp chatbots to handle customer inquiries.
WhatsApp marketing is still in its infancy, with few resources at its disposal. VIMOS does more than just assist people in creating WhatsApp chatbots. Moreover, our team hopes to offer some pointers on how to make the most of this valuable platform resource for your e-commerce! In addition, we advise small and medium-sized businesses on how to use WhatsApp chatbots to reduce manpower workload.
After Facebook and Instagram, WhatsApp has the potential to become the next platform with significant marketing potential. Furthermore, Meta’s founder, Mark Zuckerberg, announced that WhatsApp and Messenger will be the next growth channels.
Further reading: WhatsApp Marketing is now easy for SMEs!
